The Stijl Generator
The Stijl Generator is a creative coding project that reimagines the principles of the De Stijl movement through modern generative design. Inspired by the clean geometry, bold primary colors, and sense of balance in Mondrian’s work, the project transforms these ideas into an interactive tool where each click produces a new composition.
Process
The process began with research into the movement’s visual language and an exploration of how its rules could be translated into code. Using Processing and p5.js, I experimented with randomized grids, restricted color palettes, and compositional systems that preserve harmony while remaining unpredictable. Early sketches tested different approaches to line placement, proportion, and balance, while interactive features were added so that the user’s action: whether a click or a drag, could spark new variations.
Over time, the experiments grew into a system where chance and rules coexist. The code ensures that no matter how random the output may seem, the compositions always carry the unmistakable character of De Stijl: minimal, abstract, and precise. Some versions played with rotation and scaling, others emphasized layering and rhythm, gradually shaping the final generator.
The result is a web-based tool where visitors can create infinite De Stijl-inspired artworks, each one unique yet connected to the same visual DNA. It becomes both a playground and a study. An invitation to explore how a historical art movement can live again through digital media.
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